The day after clinching the A.L. East title despite a loss, the Red Sox send out a semi-makeshift lineup Thursday night as they look to avoid a three-game sweep by the Yankees in the Bronx.
Reserve third baseman Aaron Hill is leading off, Dustin Pedroia gets the night off, Deven Marrero starts at second base, and David Ortiz is, somewhat surprisingly, back in there at DH against left-hander C.C. Sabbathia (8-12, 4.02 ERA).
Left-hander Henry Owens (0-1, 7.79) gets the start for the Red Sox in place of Drew Pomeranz, who is bothered by tightness in his left forearm and will work out of the bullpen, if at all, for the final four games of the regular season.
The lineups:
RED SOX
Aaron Hill 3B
Andrew Benintendi LF
Boston Red Sox
Xander Bogaerts SS
David Ortiz DH
Chris Young RF
Jackie Bradley Jr. CF
Ryan Hanigan C
Travis Shaw 1B
Deven Marrero 2B
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Henry Owens LHP
YANKEES
Brett Gardner LF
Jacoby Ellsbury CF
Gary Sanchez DH
Starlin Castro 2B
Didi Gregorius SS
Chase Headley 3B
Brian McCann C
Aaron Hicks RF
Tyler Austin 1B
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C.C. Sabathia LHP